“.275 rigby”

Both offer similar power levels, are suitable for similar-sized game and make a perfect all-around rifle for nearly all hunting scenarios. What makes or breaks the deal in choosing one over the other? Contributor Philip Massaro investigates.

These classic 7mm cartridges are both excellent designs with long histories of great field performance. What makes or breaks the deal in choosing one over the other? Contributor Philip Massaro takes closer a look at the pros and cons of each.

Let’s take a closer look at how various barrel lengths, from rimfires to safari guns, play a role in a rifle’s performance.

Just about every case shape imaginable has been modified to hold both 7mm and .30-caliber bullets, but it was gunwriter Layne Simpson who saw a gap in the lineup: there was no 7mm cartridge based on a full-length .375 H&H case. In 1979, Simpson took the excellent 8mm Remington Magnum and necked it down to hold 7mm bullets, giving his wildcat the name “Shooting Times Westerner.”

The .350 Rigby Magnum is vastly overlooked even among rifle cranks but was at one time as popular as the .375 H&H Magnum. Released in 1908, it is an entirely original design, and was the first to feature the sharp 45-degree shoulder which is the hallmark of the Rigby designs.

The .275 Rigby remains a fantastic choice for the big-game hunter, and has done it all over the course of its 130-year history.

Fitting the niche between the 6.5 PRC and .300 PRC, Hornady’s brand-new 7mm PRC cartridge delivers long, high-BC bullets in a long-action receiver, and temperature-stable, magnum speed propellants for consistent velocity and extended barrel life.

If you want a cartridge that will handle deer and bear at woods distances in any state while providing the capability of being a rock-solid defensive cartridge, the .450 Bushmaster should have a place near the top of the list.

Despite the magnum moniker, the .327 Federal Magnum is a pleasure to shoot, giving it a lot of flexibility. It is a viable defensive cartridge, and in a hunting rifle, is a great choice for when shot distances are on the shorter end of the spectrum.